How postural imbalance can affect plantar fascia

If the center of gravity leans forward (1st image), there would be more weight placed on the inner parts of the feet as shown in the video below (See from 03:55). This will naturally put more load on the plantar fascia below the foot arch, which acts as a stretching force. Then, more stress will be placed on the plantar fascia and problems can develop over time.

What happens to the plantar fascia if the center of gravity is tilted to one side (2nd image)? In this woman's case, her weight is shifted to the right. This will naturally lower her left foot arch and make her right foot arch relatively higher (You can test this out yourself in a standing position). If this imbalance occurs, it is highly likely that her left plantar fascia will be placed under excessive stress.

However, will the arch on the right remain high? There is a high probability that this will not be likely due to compensation. If the foot arch gets higher, it means that the foot is unable to step stably on the ground. Thus, the body starts to compensate by putting more weight on the inside of the foot to secure stability and usually this kind of compensation tends to occur more than it needs to be. Consequently, stress will be placed on the right plantar fascia as well.

Finally, the third physical feature that can put stress on the plantar fascia is pelvis rotation (3rd image). This man's pelvis tends to rotate to the right when he is completely relaxed. When the pelvis rotates to the right, the left foot arch naturally falls lower, which can affect the fascia in a similar way as explained above.

In fact, all the aforementioned features occur in combination and any muscle, tendon, or fascia is more likely to cause problems if it is out of its neutral position. Therefore, this exercise program focuses on improving the function of individual muscles needed to recover plantar fasciitis while maintaining the overall body balance.

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